Pitfall Harry
Pitfall Harry, better known as Pitfall, is an American explorer and adventurer first featured in the 1982 Atari game Pitfall! A treasure hunter and macho-man, Pitfall displays agility and skill with his abilities to swing on vines, dodge rolling logs and other hidden booby-traps, race through mineshafts in rickety minecarts, and even traverse underground when need be. Armed with his trusty whip (that doubles as a sling), Pitfall has taken on his fair share of enemies, including wild animals like crocodiles, scorpions, and snakes, as well as angry native tribesmen and even hostile explorers. His journeys have taken him from the Mayan jungles to the snow-capped tundras of the extreme south. He has served as a mercenary for several expeditions, as well as traversing the wilderness solo in his quests for fortune and fame. Wherever adventure calls, you can be sure Pitfall is quick to answer it. Battle vs. Tin-Tin (by El Alamein) The muddy jungle ground squicks beneath Pitfall Harry's boots as the explorer pushes his way through the dense undergrowth. The air is humid and sticky, but Pitfall Harry makes as little notice of the beats of sweat dripping down his face as of the buzzing mosquitoes seeking to lap them up. Shaking his head to throw aside a loose strand of hair, he stops and gazes in awe at the imposing figure of the ancient temple looming ahead. Rebuking himself silently for allowing his own emotion to overcome him like that, Pitfall pushes forward, disappearing into the gaping mouth of the temple door and into the blackness of its dangerous corridors. His dirty boots clomp noisily against the stone steps of the interior, echoing into a reverberating sound that defies location. He is searching for the location of his father, kidnapped and lost in the Mayan jungle. But he is also searching for precious stones, with mysterious explosive properties. These are both valuable and effective - Pitfall has employed them against many a now-fallen foe. Not five minutes sooner it was Tin-Tin who had marveled at the majesty of the ruin of the old temple. But he, too, collected himself and steeled his nerves as he entered the stone building, his faithful companion Snowy at his side. The small dog bounced along eagerly next to his master, its pointed nose high in the air, attentive as usual. Tin-Tin had approached a set of stone steps that led up to an altar. Narrow slits of sunlight pierced the jungle canopy that hangs over the columns of the temple. As Pitfall enters, the two are set for confrontation. "This way, Snowy!" Tin-Tin encourages his canine friend as he approaches the altar. The glowing blue stones that Tin-Tin seeks sparkle tantalizingly as Tin-Tin holds them high into the air. He does not notice as Pitfall Harry enters the room behind him. Pitfall stops and stares as this stranger pockets his treasures and searches the altar for more valuables. Tin-Tin squints through an especially bright beam of sunlight just as Snowy begins to grow restless and suspicious of the stranger - a long, deep growl erupts into a high-pitched barking that continues for several seconds. "What is it, Snowy?" Tin-Tin asks. Just as Tin-Tin looks down at his dog, a rock flies from seemingly nowhere and strikes Snowy in the front of his face. The dog falls silent and still. Tin-Tin, furious and horrified, looks up at the direction from which the projectile came and sees Pitfall Harry standing at the base of the steps, whip folded over like a sling. Pitfall defiantly loads another rock into his whip and flings it at Tin-Tin, the stone smashing into his wrist and cracking a bone. Doubling over in pain, rage, and fear, Tin-Tin lets his injured wrist go limp as he raises his handgun with his other arm, firing at Pitfall. The bullet strikes the stone wall directly to the right of his head. As Tin-Tin fires wildly, running to the side of a pillar for support, Pitfall quickly loads an explosive stone into his sling and hurls it high into the air. The defeaning boom and the blinding flash give way to thick smoke that swirls away, leaving Tin-Tin staring wildly across the now-empty room. His gaze lowers to his slain companion, Snowy, and a heavy sob of grief chokes its way out of his throat. He walks over, falling to his knees, and gently touches his dog. Snowy is dead. Pitfall sprints out the side of the temple, coming to a direct vertical ascent of a tall tree trunk and a cliff face. Undeterred, he reaches a hand up and hoists himself up into the twisting vines that twirl and tangle up around the tree. Halfway up, though, an enormous bang pierces the air moments before the entire tree cracks and gives way. Looking down, Pitfall sees Tin-Tin standing below with a smoking bazooka. The tree crunches, splinters, and totters for half a second to the left before it begins its deadly tumble to the ground. Pushing himself away and leaping high into the air, Pitfall grabs a vine suspended from another tree and swings to relative safety. As the damaged tree makes contact, Pitfall slings another stone down at Tin-Tin, missing by a large margin. Tin-Tin discards the empty rocket launcher and points his handgun up at the tree. As Pitfall leaps up, the vine supporting his weight, Tin-Tin makes a miraculous shot, sending one single bullet to sever the vine and send his foe tumbling hopelessly through the air. The landing is hard on Pitfall's left arm - the limb cracks audibly and white bone juts painfully out near the elbow. Pitfall gives one muffled cry before he struggles to his knees. Luckily for him, it was his off-hand that was broken - but he can now no longer reload his sling with any degree of ease. He winces as he checks his limb before looking up at the sound of footsteps. Tin-Tin crashes blindly into the clearing into which Pitfall landed, shooting his pistol and sending a round into Pitfall's injured arm. Tin-Tin, face red with anger, pressed the trigger several times after the tell-tale click shows he's spent his magazine, and he throws the empty weapon at his foe. The two-pound pistol bounces off of Pitfall's shoulder as the explorer awkwardly takes out his boomerang, throwing it. The wooden instrument flies wildly through the air, battering Tin-Tin and forcing him to involuntarily flinch through the flurry of blows. To his surprise, the boomerang simply curves up into the jungle canopy above and disappears in a puff of smoke. Tin-Tin looks up to see Pitfall rushing him with his whip - a crack sounds, and the whip slices a cut deep into Tin-Tin's cheek. Tin-Tin angrily pulls a bottle of alcohol out from his baggy pants pocket, swinging the makeshift weapon wildly. The first blow slams into Pitfall's upper chest, sending him reeling. The second swing is dodged, though, as Pitfall rolls to the side. He holds his whip out in front of him and backs up against a tree. Tin-Tin rushes forward, the bottle high over his head, and brings it down, but Pitfall leaps out of the way and the bottle smashes to pieces against the side of the tree. Tin-Tin is momentarily blinded by the spray of liquid, splashing into his eyes. Rubbing furiously, he looks up. Once again, though, Pitfall has disappeared. Growing frustrated at his inability to quickly finish the fight and avenge his friend, Tin-Tin runs aimlessly, knowing full well that Pitfall is likely on his way to escape. Pitfall, though, hides off the side of the trail in a bush, watching, knowing that he cannot outrun his enemy with a broken arm. He grips his whip tightly, holding his breath as Tin-Tin plows by. Taking a deep breath, Pitfall leaps forward, pulling with all his strength despite the pain in his arm. The whip wraps around Tin-Tin's neck, and the adventurer gasps for breath and flails, his unbroken hand scratching viciously at the back of the hand holding the whip. Pitfall Harry grunts as Tin-Tin rakes his hand and draws blood, but pulls harder still. The struggle is vicious but brief. Pitfall Harry ends the fight by putting a knee into the back of Tin-Tin's leg, forcing him down to the ground as the whip chokes him out. Pitfall feels for Tin-Tin's pulse, which still beats faintly. Reaching into the adventurer's pocket, he feels the explosive stones and pulls them out. Looking down at his fallen foe with a mixture of pity and disgust, Pitfall leaves him to his fate, sprinting off into the distance. Night grows soon, and as darkness falls, it will bring with it beasts - beasts that will certainly not turn down a free meal when they find one. Expert's Opinion Although Tin-Tin had the more modern weaponry, it was Pitfall Harry's versatility and combat efficiency with his whip-sling that really sealed his victory. In a jungle environment both warriors played off their strengths of cunning and familiarity to their advantages, but ultimately Tin-Tin's lesser physical state and heavier, bulkier weapons left him unable to keep up with Pitfall comabt-wise, while his clunky close-ranged weapons left him vulnerable in hand-to-hand combat. To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here. Category:Warriors Category:Human Warriors Category:Modern Warriors Category:Video Game Warriors Category:North American Warriors Category:Mercenaries Category:Fictional Warriors